According to independent.co.uk, the Soil Association label had higher standards of animal welfare than its rivals across all eight live stock categories, although the RSPCA Freedom label also ranked very well.

However, the 60-page report ranked The Red Tractor Label extremely poorly in a number of categories, despite it being the most widely-used mark of quality in the UK. According to dailymail.co.uk, the label - handed out by Assured Food Standards - allows mutilations of pigs, tethering of sheep, zero-grazing of cows and genetic modification of livestock.